Another antitrust case vs. Intel¡ªthis time in Korea

Intel Corp. has confirmed receiving a "statement of objection" from the Korean Fair Trade Commission as part of a two-year antitrust probe of Intel's activities in South Korea.

According to a Sept. 11 AP report, Intel received the document from South Korean investigators last week. The agency has been investigating allegations since June 2005 that Intel abused its market dominance by pressing PC makers not to use rivals' microprocessors.

Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy was quoted in the AP report as saying Intel is "hopeful that we'll be able to show the commission that the microprocessor market is functioning normally and that this is an extremely competitive market and that our conduct has been pro-competitionand beneficial to consumers."

South Korean media reported this week that the commission's ruling on the Intel caseis expected no later than October.

AMD, which is pursuing antitrust actions against Intel in Europeand Japan, was quick to respond to the reports. "With the Korea Fair Trade Commission action, a third independent antitrust agency has charged Intel with abusing its dominant position in the x86 microprocessor market," AMD executive VP Tom McCoy said in a statement.

"Following formal action in Japanand Europe, global scrutiny is increasingly focused on Intel's harm to competition and consumers alike," McCoy added.